Dream
by Lord-Cloud-Stryfe
Summary: A dream occurs during sleep. Dreams outside of sleep are an impossibility. An anamoly. Impossible.


"okay, no more wasting time, I have to find the darn boy the prophecy was talking about".

He grabbed his staff and slowly got up.

"O'course, this means that I'm gonna hafta do a wee bit of work but…"

He brushed the dirt off his clothes.

"who said you can't say work is a pleasure? I mean, how often does a man get to greet a boy who will shape the destiny of us all? This D…D…Darn, What was his name again!?"

The old man squinted his eyes a bit and puzzled over it, and then pulled out a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and looked at it.

On the piece of paper, in a dying man's scrawl, written in his own death-blood, was the word "DREAM"

CHAPTER ZERO: a beautiful dream

13 years ago

_You wake up from a beautiful dream. You were dreaming as only babies can dream: dreams that consist solely of colour and emotion. You feel the beginnings of the major emotion you know : anger. Who dared to wake you up? _

CHAPTER ONE : A convenient place to dump unpleasant baggage

9 YEARS AGO

There is a secluded village in the countryside, established well before the rule of the last king.

Because of its remote location, not may people know of it, and that is the way its inhabitants want it to be. For this village was not ordinary…

All around its surrounding countryside were bands of outlaws, robbers, and rebel clans who did not accept the King's rule. Sometime, these people had no use for children. Ordinarily, the children would be abandoned, and a certain death awaited them in the treacherous countryside. The forests of Aloona contains many dangerous and unpredictable beasts.

The village however was established for the children. Some might regard it as an orphanage but the people who actually leave their children there regard it as " a convenient place to dump unpleasant baggage" i.e. their unwanted children.

Yes, this village, established by an old compassionate retired warrior, this village welcomed the children that the clans didn't want. They took them in , and on each child's fifteenth birthday, as a mark of adulthood, they sent them out into the world to "forge their own destinies"(this means that they can't support them anymore). The elders and the matrons and other inhabitants/guardians in the village had seen many surly, mysterious boys before, but they had seen none like Dream…

Dahlia remembered the day clearly. It was her 20th birthday, and she had returned from her worldly travels with the announcement that she wanted to take care of children. It was me with reluctant indulgence, but the elders also organized an impromptu birthday party for her to celebrate.

Dream arrived at the village around noon. His entry was heralded by several scruffy children screaming at the top of their lungs, "A new one's here! A NEW ONE!!".

Elder Tifla furrowed his brow for a second. All the other "mothers" and "fathers" were heavily burdened with children of their own at the moment. Suddenly he had a bright idea. He walked over to Dahlia and said, "Well, Dahlia, it seems that this is a golden opportunity to get your first child." And looked pointedly at her.

Dahlia felt her heart flutter in her chest. She mumbled an affirmative reply and rushed to see her new charge.

.

As said earlier, Dream was not like the other children. For one he had a delicately carved, tooth-shaped scar on his face. A very unique face, it was indeed. The children would stand and gawk at his spiky red(with a stripe of green) hair. He had a burning stare too, which made you feel that although he remained cool in attitude, he had already appraised you and found you lacking. The elders could not understand how this attitude came from such a small child.

Dream never smiled, not even at the most wonderful things, or the funniest jokes. He kept his silver eyes locked on a person all the time…

When Dahlia first met Dream, she was flustered, wondering what it would be like to meet her first charge. She walked over to him and smiled.

" Hey little boy! How goes life?"

Dream stared at her for a long time, not answering.

"What's the matter? What's your name anyway?"

He opened his mouth and said one word…

"Dream."

"Well that's a nice name…who gave it to you?"

He stared at her again, and then said "I did…"

Now…

Dream ran into the village panting. He ran past the other children, who jeered at him.

"Hey Drreeeaaaammmm"

"where you going so fast?"

Dream stopped long enough to throw them a dirty glance and then ran on.

Three lanes short of Dahlia's house he had to stop in his tracks. Ansel was standing in the way, brandishing his scimitar evilly…

From the beginning Ansel and Dream had never got on well. In fact, Dream didn't get on well with anyone but Dahlia, but Ansel was the only one he hated with a passion. Of course, the feeling was mutual. In warrior training, Dream was unparralelled. Ansel had gained his first sword 5 years ago, and was the villages best in fighting…until dream came. From the first time he attended class, dream had upset every record Ansel had set…causing Ansel, a naturally jealous person no end of grief. They had had several fights before, but none that was very conclusive.

But now…

"What the matter?" Ansel asked innocently.

Dream was about to snap back an insult but then he noticed the blood dripping from Ansel's scimitar.

"Your weapon…bloodied…you heartless bastard, you've really attacked someone! Who did you…" Dream started.

"No…" Dream's eyes widened.

He ran into Dahlia's house and stopped short. Lying in front of him was Dahlia's bloodied body. Her dress was reduced to nothing more than a scrap of red-stained cloth. Great jagged gashes lined her body. Her eyes were hauntingly open, staring at the empty space in front of her. Her mouth was gagged, and when Dream ripped it away, he saw that her mouth had a sad half-smile on it, as if at the last moment she realized what was going to happen and that she was powerless to prevent it.

Dream grabbed her body and held it close to his, as if this could somehow bring back his foster mother. Flashes of all the good times they had together went through his staggering mind. Suddenly, even as the tears of grief came, the red mist of rage came. He knew that he would have to kill Ansel for to avenge his foster mother…

He howled then, a brief, violent scream that pierced the evening sky and told of all of his pent up sorrow and rage. His tears fell on his bloodied hands as they fumbled at the pouch that held his prized dagger. He raised it and walked slowly out of the house to meet Ansel.

Ansel leered at Dream, showing his crooked, stained yellow and brown teeth.

He was quite pleased with himself, as everything was going according to plan. He had crept into Dahlia's house and quietly murdered her, to enrage Dream.

Then, in the midst of the fight, right before he plunged severed Dream's head, he would scream "Your own mother Dream…how could you?!?" The people would think that dream had finally turned homicidal…this would get rid of his greatest threat to the title of Village Warrior and would raise his standing as well.

"Poor dahlia…" Ansel said for Dream's benefit. "I want you to know though that she suffered very little…I made sure it was quick and as painless as possible…"

Dream roared and lunged for Ansel, dagger outstretched. Ansel easily parried the blow, his huge scimitar completely blocking Dream's dagger. Although manageable and lethally refined, Dream's dagger was no match for a scimitar that was based solely on blocking. As Ansel's now was.

Dream stepped back panting, and Ansel took the opportunity to take a swing at Dream with his free hand. Dream easily stepped through Ansel's guard and attempted a downward slash, aiming to sever tendons, and to cause Ansel as much pain as possible, but Ansel's gloved hand caught dream's dagger. Dream's eyes widened as he saw that his dagger's edge didn't cut through Ansel's skin.

"What the hell?" Dream muttered in disbelief.

Ansel grunted and threw his fist with all his might at Dream, who was now in an extremely vulnerable position. Dream cried out as he stepped backwards in an effort to avoid the superpunch, but he wasn't able to ward off all the blow, and the huge fist crashed into his side and sent him flying.

Suddenly, Dream was on the ground. The pain was intense, but he had survived Ansel's punches before. Slowly he got to his feet, but was returned to the ground again by another punch.

"What the hell was that?" he coughed, and felt blood spatter his clothes. He looked up.

Ansel was smiling with all his might. He looked triumphant. as if Dream's pain was nourishment to him. It probably was…

Ansel smirked " Not so good now are you, huh dreamer boy?"

Dream spat out blood. "Shut the hell up, bangaa breath!"

Ansel's smile turned cold. "Even as I kill you, you insult me. Fine. You'll really get it now!! AARRRGHH"

Ansel rushed up to Dream super-fast. Dream tried to pull back but Ansel's force hurled him to the ground. He shot up, but Ansel had already swung both interlocked fists upward. Dream was caught in the path of the blow and sent flying bloddied. He hit the ground hard, and could feel one or two ribs crack…

"arrgh" he muttered into the dust. Then he felt himself being pulled level with Ansel's eyes.

"Finally" Ansel spat. And began to choke him…

Dream struggled and kicked but Ansel's everyday armor resisted his efforts. H e began to lose his grasp on the hilt of his dagger, and his struggles began to get feebler and feebler. He began to see a mist at the edge of his vison. He let his dagger drop back into the pouch and stopped struggling as a white light began to eat away the sides of his vison. At his last conscious moment he heard Ansel say "Now do you see? Your're weak, you've always been weaker than me, and you can't even avenge dahlia's death! Ah hahaha! Weakling! I'll crush you!"

_And that changed everything. Ansel's face and everything else became obscured by a red mist._

Weak…

_Dream was conscious of nothing but his rage…_

_Weak…_

_I'm not strong enough…_

_An image of dahlia smiling, waving at him, then mercilessly chopped down from behind by Ansel…_

_Please…_

_Forgive me….not strong enough,,,_

_Weak…_

_I'M NOT…_

_I'M NOT WEAK!!!!!_

To ansel, it seemed that Dream had become unconscious. He was hanging limply and his attempts to defend himself had ceased.

Ansel grinned and turned away, but suddenly…

"I'M NOT WEAK!!!!!"

Ansel spun around, only to see Dream still on the ground, one hand resting on his dagger. Slowly Dream clutched the dagger and got to his feet, his eyes still closed.

Ansel blinked in disbelief " What the hell?"

…………………………………………………………………

_To Ansel, it was as if dream was not being controlled by himself. He got up smoothly, with a grace that was inhuman…and scary. _

_And then he opened his eyes…_

_It was an experience that would stay with ansel for the rest of his life. Dream's eyes were glowing brightly, and even though there was no sign of him being conscious. Instead it was as if his hatred had consumed his soul, his utter being for this one point in time, lending him not only strength but an existence that transcended the bounds of mortality._

Ansel tried to back away, but this dream was too quick- he had Ansel by the throat, choking him and slamming his head hard into the ground.

Ansel's breath came in short sharp bursts as he struggled to maintain consciousness. He managed to spring away from Dream's hellish grip and grabbed his scimitar for a beheading blow that would kill this monstrosity but…

ZZZSSSSWWWHHHHSSSSHHH

The dream monster had grabbed his arm hoisted it up with supernatural strength and plunged the

Blade into his armpit. He screamed in agony, and dream withdrew the blade, staring at him with those unnaturally glowing eyes.

Dream took at step back.

"_Now, the whole world will be subject to the wrath of the gods…and you shall be the first victim…"_

Whatever that had taken dream's body pulled back dream's hand and plunged dream's blade deep into Ansel's heart.

1 day later

Dream swam back up to consciousness through a haze of pain and broke the surface with a gasp and a shudder. He squinted, and saw Ansel's face hazily leering above him. He gasped and shook his head and it disappeared, replaced instead by the grim visage of the village elder.

" Elder Kaip, what the hell happened?" he demanded, forgetting all manners. " Ansel attacked me and I blacked out and…" he fell silent at the look on the elder's face, which was in no way welcoming.

The elder sighed and shook his head. He passed his hand through his greying, stringy hair.

" Well, well, well…" was all the elder could manage for a while.

"ELDER!" Dream burst out, unable to contain himself. Despite his apparent sadness, the Elder looked up in surprise.

"Elder, you have to tell me…what happened?"

"Im surprised you have the utter…AUDACITY to ask! YOU KILLED HIM!"

Dream's eyes widened in shock. "But…but…I was…he was the one who…"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear it. The council has already decided: you will have the honour of being the first orphan banished from this village. You leave at noon."

With that the elder spun around and stalked out the room.

For a long time, Dream did nothing but stare at the roof of the room he was in. He _didn't remember_ anything much of the fight, come to think of it. Certainly, he had no recollection of him _killing_ ansel. What he did remember was the nforgiveable crime Ansel had committed(_her eyes…oh gods, her eyes…her smile)_ and the anger…the blind, consuming, anger…

He left.

He left without looking back. After all without dahlia, there was no one left in the village that could tie him to it. He was not wanted, and thus he left in the blazing, blinding sunlight. As far as he could see, he had no choice. At least they had given him his dagger.

He walked the dusty path that exited the village until the place of his past was out of sight and then sat down. He turned back now, and looked hard it the place just out of sight where it was a minute ago, and then turned off the path to sit on the sparsely growing but green grass at the side. He faced a certain quandary now. He didn't know where to go. He was one of the few who had never ventured outside of the village. Calling on the vague recollections of his lessons, he tried to think of a suitable place. There was the forest, and beyond the forest was…the sea, beyond which was the sprawling urban metropolis known as Omega City, where the King of the land exerted his centralized power. Dream shook away the feelings of bewilderment at his situation, and concentrated at the task at hand. He could always try to get there, maybe there was village a the edge f the forest where he could rent a boat. To get across to the outskirts of the city where he'd…he'd what? What would he do? What could he do?

_Stop it!do you have an alternative_?!?

No more indecision, he thought, and started walking again.

Chapter 2

_Ad astra per aspera; a mari usque ad mare( combination of two latin provers which when translated mean: "To the stars through thorns, from sea to sea")_

Dream stood before the border of Halle Forest. The tall oaks and ghostwood1 trees

Seemed daunting and intimidating. He had trekked for a day, and was getting ready to rest at the forest's border. With a sigh, he looked for wood to make a fire.

.. . !!# #)#()&#)#)#&#()!)&&

_The old man trodded slowly after the boy._

"_God damn boy, why'd you get thrown out of your village? Coulda saved time insteada losing it, just do deliver your fate, but no…" he thought angrily. Suddenly a shadow flashed across his path._

"_Huh?" he murmured softly. "Thought I saw something…" He looked around in a bewildered fashion._

"_Oh well" he turned around to continue his journey when he came face with the long dark barrel of a gun. The gun itself was sleek and silver, with a black handle. Intricate symbols had been carved into it, and one depiceted a man standing before what appeared to be the moon. This made the old man shiver, and his eyes travelled from the gun to the sleekly muscled arm of its owner, and then to it's owner's face. The man who held the gun looked to be in his early thirties, and even in the fading daylight, the old man's eye's could make out that he was somewhat tall. He took in the man's totally black gear, black boots, pants, and armor. He wore not one but two guns, and he had the Ethers necessary for magic. But his breath caught when he saw the man's hands. From the fingers to the elbows were made of pure silver. _

_The man saw him staring._

"_Give me that blade…" he said quietly._

"_What blade? What the hell you rattling bout jackass?!" the old man exclaimed feigning ignorance." You better point that away from me!"_

_the man in black with the silver hands said nothing._

_The old man's shoulders slumped. " I guess I knew I might get caught eventually, I knew the risks…but it felt good to finally DO something again, you know?" he exclaimed, peering into the man's face. "To be a part of something big again. You can't keep back fate you know that right? You do know that what will be done will be done, that he will succeed, and not you nor your twisted masters can stop-"_

_The old man never finished his sentence for at that moment he was hoisted off the ground by the man's unoccupied hand._

"_Masters…damn them."he muttered darkly and softly. He held up the hand that was choking the old man, fate's fool, fate's little helper. "do you see this?" he asked, his voice shaking from suppressed rage. "My hands are the only visible scars of the war they started in my soul. You are a helper of fate, one of it's unwilling or unfortunate agents. Yet so am i…we all are." He brought the gun up to the man's heart. "We all are"._

_There was a gasp, then the man threw the old man's body up in the air. The old man's belongings fell to the ground. _

"_serenade!" the man yelled, and then quickly whipped out his other gun. He took a split second to aim, and then shot the man twice from each gun. Then he blew away the azure smoke drifting out of their barrels. He bent to pick up the sword that had fallen from the old man, but then recoiled in agonizing pain. _

_What is this?!? He thought in the midst of his pain._

_Suddenly, above the sword he had tried to pick up, a spectre appeared. It looked like a little girl, dressed completely in white. Her incredibly long hair, astral white though it was, covered most of her face. Only her mouth was visible. And from that mouth came words._

"_No" ever so softly "No, not now."_

"_What the tupping hell are you phantom?" the man in black yelled from his knees, his silver hands gripping his face, obscuring the visage of the girl._

_The girl did not reply. She merely turned around, picked up the beautiful yet foreboding sword sword, and walked away._

_The man in black sat on the the dark, dusty path and screamed._

Forest Outskirts

Dream had decided to make it just inside the forest and then set up camp. He had made a fire and spread his few possessions around it and waited for sleep to come. His mind started drifting, reflecting upon the events of the past few days, but he quickly shooed that unpleasant string of thought out of his already distressed mind. Finally, sleep came for him, embracing him, and carrying him down o her dark depths…

_Dreams are real, all you have to do…_

Dream knew he was dreaming, but it all looked so real…or maybe surreal. He was in a place that seemed to be made out of nothing but colours, shifting shapes and cloudlike structures, glimpses into the other planes. Why he was here, he did not know, but he knew for sure that he want ed to stay in this blissful place forever.

Suddenly, he glimpsed the figure of a small girl dressed in white, flowing clothes, with her white hair obscuring her face. She held a beautiful blade in her small hands; held it outstretched for the world(especially him) to see it. Then she disappeared.

"wha…" Dream muttered. He tried to move forward but found the effort futile. He was stuck in this place, of colourful clouds.

Then she appeared before him again, and quickly shoved the blade into his hands.

" Please take it…" she murmured. "The power of the being inside…can bring forth…either…salvation…or destruction…at the whim of the user." Suddenly she thrust her hand out. "Here…" she said softly. "This is your link…to him…" and put in the hand not occupied by holding the blade, a beautiful pendant. "Wear it always…" Then she truned her back on him.

Dream's eyes were wide in shock at the two gifts, but his senses had not deserted him.

"Wait! Who are you…what am I to do with these?"

She turned and looked at him. " I am Aura…" she said softly." And your blade is…Chi Tsuki". Suddenly a gigantic figure materialized behind here. The terror it brought felt out of place in this dream world. It looked like a gigantic black suit of battle armour, with a bloody X in its midsection. Aura spared it a glance for a second then turned back to dream. "you must…"she said, "…go."

Suddenly, two swords appeared in the giant's hands. One was large and broad, the other was rapier-like, long and thin. TH giant armour raised them and…

Dream woke up screaming. He quickly caught his breath, gasping. He couldn't believe what he had seen in his dream. The giant…Shaking his head he made to turn over, but he felt the hard press of steel in his side. In the darkness, his eyes widened. He grabbed the object and brought it close to his disbelieving eyes. It was the same beautiful, eerily gleaming sword,

"What the hell?" He muttered in disbelief.

Clandestine Artificial Human research Facility

The guards outside the facility were making their usual rounds. The surrounding forest was cloaked in darkness, in fact, the nearest community was, according to the briefing, a small backwater village on the other side of the forest. Nothing ever happened out here, in fact, most guards only patrolled sloppily, as the chances something out-of-ordinary would happen was nearly nil.

That changed tonight.

The first thing they saw was the hair. The boy was dressed in full black battle gear, and the only thing that was immediately visible to the poor, unfortunate perimeter guard, was the boy's startlingly white hair. It was the last thing he saw.

The boy had a total of 4 swords on his person, one on either hip, and two on his back. They were interconnected by lengths on chain. He took a step towards the guard. As lax as the guard was, he knew his drill. He pushed hard on his emergency button, and then grabbed his Halberd .33(standard security gun) and rushed to confront the intruder.

The boy took another step and drew both swords on his hip.

Lax took a tentative step forward.

"Look boy, I don't know who the hell-"

That was the last word he ever spoke.

The boy looked at the blade in his right hand, which was now dripping blood.

"Shame," he said. "He didn't even get to scream."

Then he moved on.

Just inside the Forest

Dream continued staring in disbelief at the Chi Tsuki blade until approaching footsteps snapped him out of his trance. Too late, he snuffed out his fire, grabbed his supplies and the blade, and hid behind two large trees. He peered around the thick foliage at their bases to see the approaching person.

Unknownst to Dream, this was the same man who had killed the old man who should have become his guide, his early benefactor. He was about to look a real killer in the eyes… and face fear.

The man was dressed, as before, in full black battle gear, and as before, in each of his silver hands was a finely crafted gun.

"come out NOW!" he yelled.

Dream, shaking, dropped everything but the Chi Tsuki, his newfound blade.

"Come on, wherever you are boy. Surely u didn't expect to fool me? The evidience of your passage is all around…just look at the embers from this fire." He said loudly. He cocked one gun.

Dream. Suppressing his fear, stepped out into the clearing.

"Fine. I'm here. Now who are you?"

The man smiled grimly.

"it makes no sense to introduce yourself to a dead man…" he said casually and took out one of his guns. He pointed it at Dream. "Give me the sword."

"…Fuck you…" Dream spat.

"Fine." The man smiled again, cocked his gun and aimed at dream. "Have it your way, fool."

-He pulled the trigger-

-and dream found the sword out of the sheath and in front of his face-

He gasped startled. _This sword…it's so powerful. It augments my own abitlities._ He smiled, and shifted the sword, and let the sheath fall into its place at his side. Now the Chi Tsuki was slanted by his side, for a slashing attack. Dream smiled grimly at the man's amazed expression.

"My turn," he said, and rushed towards the man.

He slashed at him, and the man was forced to jump backwards. He used the blade on his gun to slash at Dream. Dream blocked with the ChiTsuki, but this gave the man enough time to pullout his other minigunblade. He levelled them at Dream, who had jumped out of harm's way.

"doge This" he spat, and started firing at Dream.

Dream could only whip up the chi Tzuki as the bullets glanced off the sword. Hoping that he could deflect all the shots.

-_And miraculously he did. "It's the sword," He realized."It's helping me."-_

The man watched as Dream blocked his latest shot and stood in the defensive swordsman pose.

"Hmm. I guess you've earned the right to learn my name, haven't you? It's Saigoh. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand, with the gunblade still held in it.

Dream smiled grimly. The gesture was humiliating to him. He dropped into an offensive stance, sword held slant at his waist.

"My name's dream. Pleasure to meet you." And Dream charged.

Surprised, Saigoh only managed to get off a half hearted thrust at Dream with one gunblade. But he mssed completely. Puzzled he looked up…

-and saw Dream descending from his jump, his sword held in a slashing stance, aimed right at him-

he quickly thrust both gunblades above him in an effort to block it. There was a moment of stuggle when dream hit, but then Dream used the momentum to leap off and land in favourable attacking position. And quickly slashed at the man's silver hands.

His eyes widened, as he saw the silver bulge up, and wisps of it cover Saigoh's guns.

"Damn…"Saigoh muttered.

Dream held his sword up cautiously.

"It's ok. I'm no fool, I wont continue fighting you now." Saigoh spat at him.

Dream muttered, "that's nice to hear." Straightening up, he asked "so what did you want with me?"

"Not you, you idiot. Your sword."

Clandestine Artificial Human research Facility

The boy with the four swords stepped over the remains of the guards at the facility. He had decimated most of it and its security, and had reached the vault where the androids were stored.

He opened Vault 1, and surveyed the gigantic steel cylinder with apprehension.

"hmm…I wonder what it's like to witness the birth of an engine of destruction…"

He pulled open the vault. two figures fell out of it. One was exquisitely, beautifully, feminine, while the other was that of a slim, bald adolescent.

The boy with the four swords stared at them, and then shook his head. He carried the girl out to the front of the facility, and then carried the boy out as well.

Finally, he turned around and stared at the facility, which was partly consumed by flames.

He shook his head then smirked. He then turned to the two crumpled figures on the ground, and pulled out two black remotes.

He aimed the first one at them, and said "Wake up" and pressed the button. Suddenly, bright electricity crackled out from it and arched into the bodies of the androids. When it died down, first the boy then the girl stood, and tested out their muscles.

The male android smirked at the boy with the four swords. "I suppose we should thank you for waking us up…". His sister android looked at the speaker coolly, from behind her blond tresses.

"Trust me." The boy stated flatly. "If you knew why, you wouldn't…"

He turned around and looked at the two androids. Suddenly he gripped his two swords, and in a flash, he gave each android two viscious butts from the sheath of each sword. They fell down in a heap. He smiled, and turned to the darkness from which he had appeared, and clicked the other remote. A sleek black motorcycle glided into view. He loaded up the two androids into the cockpit add-on, and sat down on the "pilot" seat.

"Don't worry. My father just wants you for a tournament." Then he smiled, a predatory, feral grin.

"It'll be killer…"

Back in the forest

Dream walked along in silence with Saigoh.

"Can I ask a question?"

Saigoh walked steadily along, his guns at his side

"Well whatever, im going to ask anyways."

"Why are your hands silver…"

Saigoh stopped suddenly, and turned his back to dream.

"I told you, I'm taking you to the city, because our little encounter ended in a draw. I failed my mission. Thus, this is merely my debt to you, for beating me. Shut up, unless your'e gonna tell me that you're giving up your sword." He then continued walking

Dream stared at his departing back. Suddenly, something flickered into the edge of his perceptions. He managed to get a shout out, but then a rough arm barrelled solidly into him and he flew forwards into Saigoh, and they went down in a huddle.

Saigoh jumped up, both guns drawn. Behind them was a group of tree guardians, big burly figures with arms made out of tree branches. One put up his leafy head and roared at them.

" I think…they're telling us…to get the hell outta their forest…" Dream muttered

Saigoh didn't bother to respond. He just dusted himself off and walked towards Omega City. Dream yelled "Hey!" and took off after him.

The tree guardians growled their approval.

3 days later

They broke through the forest outskirts. Bright sunlight hit them in the faces. Saigoh looked out at the surroundings. They were on top on a cliff-rise, the forest behind them, and they could see a glow of artifical lighting in the distance, indicating Omega city.

"…wonderful…we're here. Now…" Saigoh muttered, and then turned sharply to Dream.

" I have a little business to take care of with you."

Dream backed up fearfully.

"I need that sword,"

Dream suddenly got an idea.

"Well, you seem a man of unwavering loyalties. So I'll tell you what. If you beat me, ill hand over my sword. If I beat you, you're gonna help me to get to Omega city." Dream proposed.

Saigoh's eyes widened slightly, and then closed.

"There are those that would kill you for entertaining such an idea." He mused. "But I am, for the most part, a man of my word. I accept your proposal."

Hardly had the words left his mouth than he flew at Dream. He hadn't even bothered to draw his gunblades, instead he was opting hand-to-hand combat, which, with hands like Saigoh's might prove deadly for Dream.

Dream slid backwards quickly, trying to put himself out of reach of Saigoh's arms. Saigoh checked his lunge, and swung out his right foot in a sweep, trying to knock dream off balance. Dream stumbled a bit, then crouched, and quickly pulling the sheathed Chi tsuki, rammed the hilt into Saigoh's chin with an uppercut, and rammed into his stomach. Saigoh ened up on the ground several metres away.

"Ugh…" Saigoh coughed up blood.

"nice." He said quietly. Then he got up, brushing off his chin and armor, as he did so.

Dream stepped back in astonishment. _What the hell? He should be totally winded by that! Instead, he's drawing his gunblades!!!_

Dream looked at Saigoh's cold, hard eyes and thought one thing._ Oh hell. This will be a difficult fight._

Saigoh lunged at dream, the wickedly sharp blades on his gunblades gleaming. Dream barely got the Chi Tsuki up to block in time.

_Dammit! What happened to my supreme skill earlier?!? Maybe this sword's power doesn't work all the time…_

Dream kept desperately tring to block Saigoh's furious assault, but kept giving up ground. Suddenly, an idea sparked into his already battle weary mind. He feinted putting his sword up to block a vicious double bladed strike, and then dropped to one knee and swept his leg out. Saigoh's momentum was too strong for him to dodge the trick, and he fell flat on the ground. Now it was Dream's turn to go on the offensive.

He jumped to his feet and attempted to kick Saigoh, who rolled away and stood up, glaring daggers. Dream launched the Chi tsuki in a downward arc, aiming for one of Saigoh's gun hands. Saigoh was forced to doge sideways, and Dream reversed his momentum, and thrust the blade behind him blindly. Saigoh gasped, as he saw it coming towards him, he tried to throw himself to the side. Not quick enough, for the point of the Chi tsuki grazed his armor.

Saigoh grinned despite himself at Dream's panting form. "Impressive…"

Dream drew the Chi Tsuki back to him. He pulled his sword hand back to his shoulder level, and held the Chi Tsuki so that its blade point was towards Saigoh.

Dream took a deep breath.

"I'm gonna end this…"

"HAAA!!!!" Dream lunged at Saigoh, sword outstretched. Saigoh's eyes widened

_Impressive. He has so much…potential…and power…it's amazing…is the sword helping him?_

Saigoh tried to backtrack but failed to do so, before he found himself staring at the tip of the Chi Tsuki.

"I…win…" smirked Dream.

…

Omega City

A black motorcycle wove through the streets. At one particular intersection, it took off from the well travelled roads and went on to a group of back roads, that, although in need of repair, could get one almost anywhere in the gigantic city. The driver, his white hair pulled back into a pony tail, weaved in and out of the path of the many potholes. Black glasses obscured his eyes, and the wind whipped the ponytail back and forth.

Beside him, in the passenger seat, were two unconscious androids.

_Maybe…I will earn your…respect?_

The boy's face hardened.

_I care for no one…and so it is reversed. No one cares for me. If one must bear that to become the most powerful, then, so be it._

Chapter 3: Forsaken Souls

Dream and Saigoh were walking down the mountain upon which the forest they had just cleared was situated. Saigoh still maintained his aloof nature, coldly cutting Dream off when he attempted to talk to him. Dream eventually gave up all his futile efforts to chase Saigoh out of his shell. He settled for observing nature and his sword.

He still didn't understand it. How could this sword have just gravitated to him? Had it…found him or something?

_I don't understand anything…at all…so…confused…_

"damn…" He muttered aloud.

Saigoh turned his head, and fixed him with a quizzical look.

"What happened to you?"

Dream shook his head minutely.

"Can I ask you…about the sword? "

Saigoh glared at him

"No. nor can you ask me about my emploeyers…or rather…my ex-employers…seeing as how I cannot return to them with news that I failed to get the sword from you"

1 Taken from "war of the flowers" a particularly strong type of tree


End file.
